There are no important advantages in terms of health and nutritional benefits gained from eating organic food when compared to food produced using conventional techniques, says the UK’s Food Standards Authority (FSA), with the recent publication of a scientific study.

The five-year Progeco/Recomap Programme is worth a total of 18 million and is the largest EC-IOC regional development programme. It targets the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean Islands as well as East Africa, particularly Tanzania, Kenya and Somalia. The specific objective of the programme, which has now reached the half-way stage, is to strengthen the capacities of local communities and public and private entities as a means of achieving sustainable, integrated management of coastal areas.

South Africa’s fishing industry may face increased competition from Namibian fish exports, which could spell disaster for the local industry. Because Namibia has still to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union, which is expected to result in it losing its trade preferences later this year, industry role players have warned that the country is likely to divert most of its exports, currently destined for the European market, to South Africa.

EU Member States must meet their international aid commitments to developing countries, and particularly those disproportionately affected by the economic downturn, said Development Committee MEPs in a debate with two international experts on Thursday. The committee also approved a resolution on the effects of the crisis on developing countries and development co-operation.

The European Commission has earmarked a further €53.475 million, through a series of financing decisions, for expanded humanitarian aid to vulnerable people in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. The funds are channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Karel De Gucht, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.